Will technology save us from the brink of disaster or is it the root cause? Which technologies will achieve this ambitious target? What can we all do to contribute?

Four experts, facilitated by broadcast journalist Peter Couchman, discuss these and other questions at an Alternative Technology Association (ATA) Special Event at the Sustainable Living Festival 2008.

MC Peter Couchman Peter Couchmans career as a broadcast journalist spans over thirty years in both radio and television. He has met and interviewed many prominent public figures who have shaped the contemporary history of Australia.

Peter became well known as a reporter and frontman on the pioneering ABC current affairs program This Day Tonight, Four Corners and the 7.30 Report. He also worked as a foreign correspondent in South East Asia for a number of years. His audience discussion series Couchman Over Australia, was a popular feature of ABC television for four years before he moved into morning talkback radio for the ABC in Melbourne.

Speakers Alan Pears Alan Pears has been a columnist for ReNew: technology for a sustainable future magazine (published by the ATA) for over 10 years. He is an engineer and educator who has worked on energy and environmental issues for more than 25 years. Alan is a Director of the environmental consultancy Sustainable Solutions and an Adjunct Professor at RMIT University. In 2003 he was awarded a Centenary Medal for his contribution to climate change policy, and in 2000 a Sustainable Energy Industry Association award for his lifetime contribution to the sustainable energy industry.

Dr Richard Denniss Dr Richard Denniss is an economist with a particular interest in the role of regulation in achieving sustainable and equitable economic and social outcomes. Richard is a former Strategic Adviser to the Australian Greens. He has previously worked as the Deputy Director of the Australia Institute, was Chief of Staff to the then leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, and lectured in economics at the University of Newcastle.

Richard has published widely on the topics of regulation and sustainability and co-authored Affluenza.

Nic Frances Nic Frances is the founder, chairman and CEO of cool nrg international and has been a world leader in showing how social enterprise can lead the global market agenda to address human society’s big challenges like climate change and poverty. Until recently, Nic was the Founder and Executive Chairman of Easy Being Green.

Nic holds an MBE from the British Government, and an Australian Centenary Medal. Nic headed up the Brotherhood of St Lawrence in Australia until 2004 and has been a stockbroker in the past.

Craig Morgan Craig (B.E. Mech) is the Melbourne Director of Climate Managers, a consulting firm that provides climate change management advisory services, from policy and strategy right through to technical engineering solutions.

Craig has over 15 years’ international experience, helping organisations manage energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and the impacts of climate change. Craigs experience ranges from demand-side management and energy efficiency through to low greenhouse renewable energy and hybrid supply-side power generation options. His areas of expertise include regulatory and program compliance, technical due diligence and advice, energy and greenhouse management plans, verification and auditing, and climate change risk assessment and strategy development.